Elf
by xjustxletxmexgox
Summary: Yes, yet another story about how Jack came to be a Mercer. But I do hope I've made it a little different. Try it I promise it's really good. And I usually don't say that about my own stuff. Warnings: Mentions of physical and sexual abuse in later chapters
1. Chapter One

A/N: Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted on this site... But anyways, here's one of the latest stories I've been working on. It's not finished (and please don't expect it to be for a while), but I am still currently working on it. Reviews are much appreciated, along with constructive criticism. Thanks for reading! :D

* * *

"Jack

"Jack? Jack, wake up, honey."

The small, thin boy looked over the tall black woman, his eyes locked in his perpetual stare of nothingness. He stared just long enough to let his social worker that he wasn't sleeping.

"I'm sorry, Jack. It's hard for me to tell, you know," Tanisha Durgan said softly. "Are you cold? I can turn the heat up."

Jack shook his head slightly, and then turned to gaze back out the window.

"Jackie… This house is gonna be different. I promise, honey," Tanisha said, glancing at him, taking in his unruly blond hair, vacant blue eyes, and the mess of bruises. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know, Jackie," She whispered, tears in her eyes. "If you'd just talk to me, baby."

But he stayed silent. Tanisha didn't really expect anything different anymore.

She sighed. "Jack? Jackie, are you paying attention?" She asked, glancing over at him again. She waited until his eyes focused on her to continue. "Miss Evelyn, she's a real nice lady. I stayed with her myself when I was your age. Well… maybe a little older. She's a sweet woman, Jackie. She'll take good care of you. But you're going to have some brothers. Jack, I need you to listen to me, sweetheart," She said firmly as Jack's gaze slipped towards the windshield. She paused until he looked at her again. "You're going to have some older brothers. I don't know if Bobby and Jerry are still at home, but I know Angel is. They're… they're bigger boys. A little rough around the edges. But they'll never hurt you. I promise you that. They're all good people. Hey, come on, now, I'm almost done, and then we'll be finished with the speeches. These are all good people, Jackie. I've known them for a long time. I don't know why nobody thought of placing you here sooner… But just give it a shot. For me?"

Jack shrugged a noncommittal shrug, which, Tanisha knew, was probably the best she'd get out of him. She smiled sadly.

"You're a good kid, Jackie boy. Just try to get some sleep, ok honey? If you want, you can crawl into the backseat if you'd feel better."

Tanisha sighed as Jack just shifted his head, and glanced out the window again. Tanisha swiped a tear from her eye, and picked up her car phone, dialing the number she knew by heart.

"Hello?" Came a sleepy voice after a few rings.

"Ma? It's Tanisha. I need a favor."

"Tanisha? What's wrong?" Evelyn Mercer asked, sounding more awake instantly.

"I… I got a boy here… He needs a place to stay for a while. I can't really talk about it right now," She stressed, glancing over at Jack.

Evelyn knew what she meant. Thirty five years of being in the social worker business had taught her all the little meanings. "Of course. Bring him over. I'll wake the boys up, and have them set up a room for him. We can talk over a cup of coffee."

"Thanks, Ma. I'll be there in an hour; I'm coming from the other side of the city."

"I'll have everything ready in half an hour. There can't be too much traffic at three o'clock in the morning," Evelyn said with a chuckle.

"Ok. I'll see you in a bit."

Tanisha hung up the phone slowly, and glanced back at Jack. "It's ok, baby… Everything will be okay."

"Boys! Boys, I need you to come down here!" Evelyn called, although she knew it was a worthless approach. She'd have to go up and shake them awake. She sighed as she made her way up the stairs, one hand on the railing.

She'd never say it to her boys, but she definitely wasn't getting any younger. The doctor had given her a prescription for her arthritis just yesterday. She'd fought him and fought him, but he –and the pain –had eventually won out.

"Jerry?" She called out softly as she entered her younger sons' bedroom. "Jeremiah, I need you to wake up," She whispered, kneeling by the bottom bunk, and shaking the occupant's shoulder gently, and he slowly sat up.

"Ma? What's wrong?" The nineteen year old asked, his eyes glazed over with sleep.

"Nothing's wrong, we're having a guest. I need you boys to help me set up a room for him," Evelyn said softly. "Can you get Angel up while I get Bobby?"

"Yeah, sure thing, ma," Jerry said, yawning as he threw the blankets back, and scrambled up to the top bunk.

"Thank you, Jeremiah," Evelyn said with a roll of her eyes. She knew exactly how Jerry would wake up his youngest brother, but, she admitted to herself, it _was_ the only way to get Angel out of bed. She winced as she heard a loud thunk, and cursing, knowing that Jerry had flipped Angel's mattress.

She knocked loudly on Bobby's door, waiting for a response before opening the door. She knew he would be awake instantly. He was a light sleeper.

"Who is it?" He called out gruffly.

"Bobby, I need you to get up," Evelyn called opening the door slightly and stepping in.

Twenty-two year old Bobby sat up, his bare torso still causing Evelyn to wince, even after ten years. Bobby glanced down, and noticed it himself, cursing quietly as he reached under the bed for a shirt.

"What's up, ma?" He asked roughly, his eyes blinking to adjust to the light from the hallway.

"Tanisha's on her way over. She's bringing a guest," Evelyn said quietly. Tanisha was well known to Bobby, although Jerry and Angel would be too young to remember the social worker. She had been one of Evelyn's first foster children.

"Now? Is it that bad?" Bobby asked, throwing off his sheets. He was continuously warm, and couldn't stand to sleep with an actual blanket.

"I don't think her bringing him over now is, in and of itself, 'that bad'. I think it's a lot of 'that bads' added up."

Bobby sat up, swinging his feet off the bed, cursing softly. "This another hopeless case you're supposed to miraculously save?" Evelyn nodded, and Bobby groaned. "Great. Just what you need."

"It is. That's why I have you three," She reminded with a soft smile.

Bobby smiled back sadly. "Yeah, I guess if you can fix me, you can fix anybody, huh?"

"I didn't have to fix you, Bobby. I just had to show you where to find the glue," She said with a small laugh.

"Yeah, the gorilla glue," He said mischievously.

"Oh hush," She said with a small smile. "Get up and help your brothers get the spare room ready."

"Sure thing, ma," He said, pushing himself up off the bed. He gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek as he walked past her. "Just take it easy, ok? You can't handle another one like me or Angel." His eyes looked past her guiltily.

Evelyn patted him on the shoulder. "You'd be surprised what these old bones can handle, Bobby. Go help your brothers."

Bobby nodded, and took off. Evelyn stayed still for a minute, and glanced around the room sadly, contemplating what her oldest son had said.

Bobby had been her first 'impossible' case. The first case where she thought she might not be able to do anything. His temper, lack of trust, and paranoia had all only been increased by being put into the fostering system. He'd been placed in over eighteen familial homes, and seven group homes from the time he was ten to fifteen, mostly due to his fists., He had physically injured seven of his nine psychiatrists. Evelyn herself had received her fair share of bruises during the first month of Bobby's stay. When he felt cornered, his animal instincts would take full reign, and his fists would swing until there was nothing left to swing at. It had taken the better part of a year for Evelyn to get through to him.

She shuddered. She hoped this boy wasn't that bad. Not for her sake… but for his own.


	2. Chapter Two

Hiya folks, and thanks for coming back to read! Y'all make me feel incredibly special. :D

* * *

Tanisha silently shut the car off, and stared out the window for a moment. The rain was quickly turning to snow in the Detroit cold, and making little blips on the windshield. "Jack? Jack, are you ready to go, baby?" She asked softly, turning to look at him.

He gave no reply, so Tanisha slowly reached over, and carefully zipped up his jacket. She knew better than to try and put his gloves on. The poor kid had had his fingers broken so many times that he absolutely refused to let anyone touch them, even Tanisha.

"Well… I guess we're all set. Can I carry you, or you wanna walk?"

Jack shrugged, but also reached his hands out towards her, keepings his little fingers in fists.

"Ok, I'll carry you. Just let me grab your bag out of the trunk, ok?"

She got out of the car, and quickly grabbed his small backpack out of the trunk, swinging it over one shoulder, before going around and opening the passenger door. She gently disentangled Jack from the seat belt, and picked him up. His head nestled down into her shoulder, and Tanisha laid one of her hands on the back of his head.

"It'll be ok, honey. These are good people. They'll take good care of you. I promise."

There was no response, and Tanisha felt her heart rip a little more as she walked up to the door and knocked.

The door slowly opened, to reveal Bobby Mercer, still clad in his boxers and a t-shirt.

"Hey, honey," He said softly, backing up to let her in.

"Hey yourself," She whispered, feeling Jack tighten his grip on her. She ran her fingers through his hair gently, and his hands loosened a little. "Where's ma?"

"Hold on. I'll go get her." He took off towards the stairs, before stopping. "How bad is he, Nishi?"

Tanisha smiled at Bobby's pet name for her, but it quickly faded away as Jack's head turned towards her, still nestled in her shoulder. "He's awake, Bobby. Just go get ma, ok?"

"I'm coming, Tanisha," Evelyn called, coming out of the kitchen. "I swear, you get prettier each time I see you. Come on in the kitchen; I've got hot chocolate and coffee."

"Jackie? You want some hot chocolate?" Tanisha asked, leaning her head back. Jack shrugged into her shoulder, and she sighed again. "All right, it's that or you can get some sleep. I'm sure ma's got a room all set up for you. You wanna go see?"

Jack nodded, and Tanisha smiled. "Ok. I'll take you upstairs."

An hour later, Tanisha crept back downstairs, finding Evelyn and Bobby waiting in the kitchen for her.

"Is he sleeping?" Evelyn asked, pouring her a cup of coffee as she sat down.

"Yeah. Sorry it took so long. I wanted to make sure he was really asleep before I left. Actually… if you don't mind, ma, I'd like to stay with him for tonight… Just to be here when he wakes up," She told Evelyn.

"Of course, Tanisha. You know this house is always open to you."

"Thanks, ma. I really appreciate it." Tanisha smiled gratefully as Evelyn handed her the coffee.

"No problem, honey. How old is he?"

"Almost seven."

Bobby looked over at her. "Can he talk, or was he just playin' quiet tonight?"

Tanisha gave him a helpless shrug. "He _can_ talk. He just won't. His social worker before me –you remember Amanda Reeves, right ma? –she heard him talk once, and his first grade teacher said he used to talk, although not very often. He stopped talking his second week into second grade. He's never said a word to me."

"How long has he been in foster care?" Evelyn asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Seven months. He was removed in the middle of second grade. Severe neglect and abuse. His name's Jack."

"Why the late night placement?"

"Him and three other kids were removed from a home a few hours ago. Physical abuse. I didn't know, ma," Tanisha said, her voice cracking as tears came to her eyes. "They'd never been a problem before."

Bobby reached over, and patted her on the back. "It's ok, Nishi. You couldn't have known if there'd never been a problem before."

"I keep telling myself that, Bobby… somehow, I'm not feeling any better," She said bitterly.

"I know, Tanisha. But it's something you'll have to accept," Evelyn said firmly. "Because it never gets any easier, and you can never always be sure of a family. Now, are there any special rules?"

Tanisha took a deep breath. "He doesn't like to be touched. It's taken me six months for him to trust me enough to carry him. I'd rule out the boys all together for a while. Do not, under any circumstances, try and touch his hands. His mother used to punish him by breaking his fingers. For the first few days, I'd just let him get used to you being here. I won't lie, ma: He's gonna be a lot to handle. And he won't talk, like I said, so you have to make sure he eats regularly, because he won't ask. Oh, and, Bobby? No teasing him. None of you boys. I know how hard that's gonna be for you," She said with a quick smile, "But he spooks easy, and he takes everything to heart. And only ask him yes or no questions. Don't try and make him talk."

Evelyn nodded. "Do you have the paper work? I'm assuming this is going to be a long term stay."

"Well… I won't lie, ma, I'd like it to be permanent. This kid deserves something good for a change. But I brought over the temporary paper work. I'll be honest, if this doesn't work out… well… the courts are gonna put him in a mental home until he starts talkin'."

Evelyn nodded sadly. "You know I'll do my best, Tanisha. But let's get the papers signed, and get to bed. You look like you could use some sleep."

Tanisha nodded. "Yeah. I've been worryin' about this kid for so long… sleep sounds real good."

Evelyn stood up, and gave Tanisha a hug, and a quick kiss on the forehead. "You just get upstairs, and go to sleep then. I'll make sure you're up in the morning."

Bobby sighed as he heard Tanisha go up the stairs.

"What's wrong, Bobby?" Evelyn asked, pouring him another cup of coffee.

"I dunno, ma. I just… I don't like seein' Nishi worried. And I don't think you're gonna be able to help this kid. If he don't talk, how can you help him?" Bobby said, staring into his cup.

"I don't really know, Bobby. But I have to try. You know that. And just remember, a lot of people said that I wouldn't be able to help you boys. Matter of fact, everyone who'd ever met you told me that I'd never be able to get through to you, that you were a lost cause," Evelyn reminded gently, patting his hand. "Now go on upstairs and get some sleep."

"Ok, ma. G'night."

* * *

Bobby was already up, and had breakfast and coffee on the table when Tanisha brought the kid down, still in his pajamas.

"Morning, Nishi. Sleep good?"

Tanisha smiled. "No. I forgot how loud it is in a house with three boys," She said, setting Jack down. He instantly buried his face against her side.

"Shut up," Bobby joked. "I made breakfast, so you better be nice. Hey, kid, what do you want to eat? I got pancakes, eggs, bacon… I think Angel might have some cereal around here somewhere…"

"Bobby," Tanisha said, shooting a dark look at the teen.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Yes or no… Uh… You want pancakes?" Jack shook his head no. "Eggs?" No again. "Cereal?"

This time Jack shrugged, so Bobby shrugged back. "Guess he ain't hungry."

Suddenly, Jack nodded, and Bobby smiled. "That's what I thought. Grab a seat, elf, and I'll fix you a bowl."

"Bobby!" Tanisha admonished.

"What? Elf ain't a bad thing. He looks like one! I mean… not that I'd know, I've never seen one," He said with a cheeky grin. "But if I had, it'd probably look just like him!"

"Robert Browning Mercer-" Tanisha stopped, her jaw dropping as she saw Jack's lips turn up in the closest thing she'd ever seen to a smile on him. She smiled too, before shaking her head. "Just get the damned cereal, Bobby."

Bobby had the grin of a Cheshire cat as he filled a bowl with Lucky Charms. "Yes, Tanisha Roxanne Mercer."

Tanisha rolled her eyes. "Oh hush."

Bobby shook his finger at her. "Hey now, you better watch it, missy. You're settin' a bad example for the elf here. Bein' mean to your siblings. Geeze, Nishi… I'm ashamed." He paused long enough to set Jack's food down in front of him. "Here ya go, elf. Eat up." He turned his attention back to Tanisha. "Eight months goes by with barely a word, and all the sudden you come back here and treat your brother like crap. I see how it is."

"Bobby Mercer, you leave her alone," Came Evelyn's voice from the stairs. She smiled as she entered the kitchen. "Good morning, guys. Morning, Jack. You sleep well?"

Jack looked up at her wide-eyed for a moment, before Bobby whistled at him.

"Hey, I don't mind the silent treatment, but you give Ma a little bit of respect," He said seriously, his voice that of an admonishing parent. "She ain't gonna bite, so you can at least nod, or shake your head."

Jack hesitated for a moment, staring at Bobby, then back at Evelyn. Finally he nodded.

Evelyn smiled. "Good. I see Bobby's already got you some food. At least he can act well-mannered when he wants to," She said good-naturedly, giving her oldest son a hug.

Bobby grinned. "Only when your not around, Ma."

Tanisha was busy staring at Jack, then back at Bobby, then back again. Finally she spoke. "Ma, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Of course, hun. Just let me grab a cup of coffee."

Tanisha trailed out into the front room. Evelyn wasn't far behind.

"What's wrong?" Evelyn asked quietly.

"Nothing. Actually… Jack seems to like Bobby. Even I can't get that type of reaction outta him. Maybe… I don't know, Ma, maybe having Bobby around him could help."

Evelyn gave her a little smile. "Whether or not he'll ever admit it, Bobby's good with kids. He's got a soft spot for them. He'll watch after him. How long can you stay for?"

Tanisha looked back into the kitchen guiltily. "Probably just for breakfast. As much as I love Jackie, I got other kids I gotta look after. I got two placements this afternoon, and one later tonight. But I'll be stopping over to check on him tomorrow morning."

"Good. He'll need something familiar for the first few days. Does he have a toy, or a stuffed animal or something? Any type of toy?"

Tanisha shook her head. "His mom kept him locked up in the closet when he wasn't in school. All he had was a bucket to go to the bathroom in, and a towel for a blanket. He actually… he dragged the towel around with him the first few months, before someone stole it on him. He had a melt-down. One of his foster parents bought him a little stuffed bird, but one of the other kids stole that too."

Evelyn looked thoughtful. "Maybe it's time I go shopping. A boy his age needs something like that. Oh well," She said brightly. "Let's go get some food. I'll be lucky if Bobby hasn't burned down the kitchen by now."

* * *

Breakfast was a loud, noisy affair, although the familiarity of it all brought a smile to Tanisha's lips. Angel, Jeremiah and Bobby had quickly dug as soon as the food was on the table, pushing and shoving for the best pieces. She knew Jack was watching wide eyed across from her, but the boys were careful to keep their rough housing at a fair distance from him. Bobby even gave him the center cinnamon role, a rare prize in the Mercer household.

When it was finished, the boys quickly took care of the dishes, and cleaned down the table, before rushing towards the door.

"I'll be back early today, ma, I'll take you grocery shopping."

"I'm goin' over an' visit Camille 'fore work, I don't know what time I'll be back. Eat without me."

"I'm gonna try and get some over time tonight, ma, don't wait up."

Evelyn frowned at Angel's parting line. "Angel Mercer, you be here by nine o'clock. Dealing with Sophie doesn't qualify as 'work', or 'overtime'."

The two older boys laughed. "Busted!" Bobby taunted as they all stalked out of the house.

"Yo, man, shut up."

"Pretty boy's got a curfew! Nine o'clock!"

"Leave it alone, Jerry!"

Jerry's taunt was lost as the door shut. Tanisha sighed, and shook her head with a smile.

"I forgot what it was like livin' here, ma. I miss bein' home."

Evelyn smiled as she finished taking care of the food. "You know you're welcome anytime, Nishi."

Tanisha smiled, then turned towards Jack, who was still sitting down. "I'm leavin' now, Jackie. You still got my phone number?"

Jack suddenly looked panicked. His eyes went wide, and he stiffened.

"Hey, hey, hey. None of that now. You know nothin's gonna happen here. This is my family. My ma and my brothers. They're all good people. Besides, you got my number, you can call me anytime you want, and I'll answer."

Jack's small body slowly eased up, although he was still tense. He looked up at Tanisha and nodded, before reaching his small arms out.

Tanisha smiled as she gave him a hug. "You'll be fine, Jackie. Don't worry."

Before the tears could start, Tanisha practically ran from the house.

* * *

Evelyn watched as Jack slowly pulled his knees up to his chest, and started rocking back and forth in the kitchen chair. She finished putting the food in the fridge, and then sat down next to him. "Jackie?" She slowly reached one hand out towards him, but pulled it back when he started shaking.

"Jackie, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanna tell you the rules here, ok? You're free to do pretty much anything here in the house, just so long as you don't purposely break or burn something. I don't want you going outside until Bobby or Angel can show you around, so you don't get lost. As soon as you get settled in, you'll get a list of chores, just like the boys have. You'll probably just have to take the garbage out in the morning. That's not too tough, is it?" She asked with a smile.

Jack gave her no response, only curled his knees tighter to his chest.

Evelyn sighed. "Alright. You can do whatever you want. TV's in the living room, feel free to watch it. I have laundry to do. I'll be back there if you need me," She said, point towards the little laundry room. She didn't wait for a response.

Jack slowly uncurled himself as the white haired lady walked into the back room. He watched suspiciously for a few minutes before deciding it was probably safe to get up. He quietly ran up the stairs into the room he'd stayed in the night before, and locked the door behind him.

He let out a nervous breath. He was safe… for the moment.


	3. Chapter Three

Hey, thanks again for reading. Let me know what you think! :D

* * *

Bobby sighed as he pulled into the driveway, and shut the car off. One of these days (or so he told himself almost every day, year after year) he was gonna have to get a real, legit job, instead of this smuggling/money collection job. He was surprised Evelyn hadn't caught on yet.

The only problem with a 'real' job was the money, which was what he always came back to. A normal job just wouldn't pay the bills. And Bobby had no real 'working' skills to talk about, so he'd be stuck working at one of the factories or some dead end minimum wage job. Evelyn's retirement fund just didn't pay enough to keep the house, pay the bills, and take care of three boys. Jerry and Angel both worked legal jobs, but Jerry had career skills (the only one of the three to finish high school, and go to community college) and he still couldn't find anything other than construction, and Angel was content working at the car repair shop, more than happy to accept minimum wage in order to hang out with his friends, and occasionally fix up his own car for free. So the job of paying for most everything fell (voluntarily, though, it wasn't like Evelyn forced him to pay) to him.

He sighed again as he locked the car, and headed inside.

"Ma? I'm home!" He called out as he peeled off his jacket, hanging it up in the coat closet. "Ma?"

"In the wash room, Bobby!"

"Where's the elf?" He asked, making his way into the kitchen, stopping just long enough to grab a pork chop from the fridge.

"Upstairs in his room. I'm pretty sure he locked himself in," Evelyn said with a smile.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Wonderful. I ain't climbin' up the ladder to get him," He said warningly, although he was already trying to remember where he had left the ladder.

Evelyn laughed. "Oh, I doubt you'll need to. He seemed to like you this morning. Just go upstairs and knock, see if he'll come out. I just have to find my jacket and shoes, and we can head to the store."

Bobby nodded. "Ok. I suppose it could be worse… he couldda locked himself in the bathroom," He said with a cheeky grin.

Evelyn laughed again as Bobby headed up the stairs. He knocked loudly on the kid's door.

"Yo, elf, you in there?" He called out. "Come on, we gotta go to the store."

Bobby waited a moment, then he heard footsteps, and the sound of the lock being undone. He saw just the tips of the kid's blond hair and his blue eyes staring around the door.

"Come on, I don't got all day. Ma's ready, we gotta get goin'," Bobby said impatiently. "Grab your jacket; I think your shoes are still downstairs. You got five minutes, then I want to see you waitin' down there."

Jack nodded, something that might almost have been a smile on his face.

Bobby rolled his eyes, and headed downstairs. Damn it all if he knew why the kid liked him. It wasn't like he was Mr. Softie. But most of the kids who'd walked through Evelyn's door seemed to attach themselves to him. More than a few had slept in the room now claimed by the elf. Bobby had eventually lost track, forgotten names, as years went by and most of them moved on, or into new homes. But almost everyone of them under the age of ten had clung to him like a life preserver. The ones older than that seemed to idolize him.

He scoffed to himself. Stupid kids. Of all people to pick for a role model, they'd pick him.

* * *

Bobby scowled slightly as he listened to his mother prattling on. It wasn't so much that she was going on and on, but what she was going on and on about.

"Ma, Angel's gotta make his own mistakes; let the kid screw up. It'll teach him a lesson," He said exasperatedly. "You need to quit babyin' the kid."

Evelyn frowned. "That's a harsh outlook on things, Bobby."

"But it's true. Nothin' you or me has said to the little… screw-up," Bobby said, catching himself in time to watch his language, "has changed his mind. He's bound, set, and determined to screw his life up."

"Bobby, keep your eyes on the road!" Evelyn warned quickly. Bobby glanced back to the road just in time to keep from hitting a tractor trailer. "Lord, Bobby, you need to pay attention!"

Bobby grumbled under his breath the rest of the way to the store.

Once inside, Bobby gave Jack a stern warning not to stray too far from him or Evelyn. The elf had nodded timidly, his wide eyes taking in everything in the store.

"Watch were your goin', kid, you get in front of this cart one more time, I'm gonna run you over," Bobby said good-naturedly as Jack stumbled over the cart once again. "Crush your little elf ears back to normal."

Jack gave him something that would have passed as a smile for any other kid. Bobby gave him a smile in return.

"Look, ma said you can pick out one bear or somethin' if you want it. So… There you go," He said, stopping in front of the toy aisle. "Eat your heart out."

Jack looked up at him in amazement, then back at the shelves. Then back at Bobby.

Bobby nodded impatiently. "Yeah, go on. Any one you want. Just hurry it up."

Jack tentatively started down the aisle, his wide eyes taking in everything. Bobby watched as he stopped hesitantly in front of a shaggy haired stuffed dog, almost as big as he was. The elf waited a moment, then grabbed it, and ran back towards Bobby.

Bobby rolled his eyes as Jack looked to him for approval.

"It's your toy, Elf, not mine. You like it?"

Jack nodded, a far away look in his bright blue eyes as he petted the dog on the head.

Bobby waited a few moments, but Jack didn't move. He whistled loudly, startling the elf. Jack jumped, and looked around fearfully.

"Just me, kid. Wanna make sure you weren't joinin' the trekkies up there," He said with a smile. When Jack gave him a quizzical stare, Bobby groaned. "Great, just aged myself twenty years. You wanna carry that, or stick it in the cart? You gonna carry it? Ok, let's go find Ma then."

They were heading towards the front of the store, when a voice stopped them both.

"Jack? Jack, what're you doing out?!"

Bobby spun around at the unfamiliar voice. Jack on the other hand apparently knew who the voice belonged to all too well. He gave a little yelp, and hid behind Bobby's legs, staring around fearfully.

A tall, lanky man came striding up to them. As soon as he got within five feet, the smell radiating off him hit Bobby, making him want to throw up. The man totally ignored Bobby, instead focusing his attention entirely on Jack.

"You little shit-head, you know you're not fucking supposed to be outside. Your mother's gonna kick your scrawny ass from here to fuckin' California when she finds out."

Bobby instantly stiffened. "Excuse me, but just who the fuck are you?" He asked, his voice dangerously low.

The man apparently realized that he had made some sort of mistake, although he looked confused as to what. "Hey man, who the fuck are _you_? Amanda's gonna throw a fit when she finds out you let the little fuck-up outta the closet."

Bobby forced himself to look down at Jack. "Jack, I want you to go find Ma, ok? Tell her I'll be right out. Take your dog with you."

Jack glanced up, petrified, but slowly did as Bobby ordered, glancing behind him every so often.

"So you Amanda's new man? I never knew she was into short guys. Always thought she liked 'em tall and thin. You ain't been around real long if you expect the little shit to talk to anybody, let alone his mama. She ain't gonna be happy when she finds out you took the little bastard out."

Bobby moved quicker than the eye could follow, pinning the man by the throat against the shelves.

"You know how I am, you mother fuckin' prick?" He asked, his voice low yet unmistakably pissed.

The man shook his head nervously, before taking a closer look. His eyes widened. "Holy shit, you're fuckin' Bobby Mercer. Hey man, I didn't mean anything about the short comments, I was ju-"

"You listen to me, you fuckin' pathetic excuse for humanity. Jack lives with me now. I'm takin' care of him. If I ever so much as see a fuckin' hair of you within ten miles of him, I'll fuckin' kill you without a second thought."

Bobby released the man roughly, before heading towards the check out lanes. Evelyn was waiting, her face worried looking.

"Bobby, is everything all right?"

Bobby was trying to force his breathing back to normal when he answered. "Let's just get the stuff and get outta here," He said roughly.

Jack still looked scared shitless, clutching his new toy for all it was worth. He hesitantly stepped towards Bobby. His eyes moved toward the direction Bobby had come from, and then back to Bobby.

Bobby shook his head. "He ain't gonna bother you, Elf. I took care of him. He won't ever come near you again. Promise."

Jack's eyes filled with tears, and he rushed Bobby, throwing his little arms around his neck tightly.

Evelyn stared for a moment, before moving up to a check outline. Bobby ruffled the kid's hair for a second, before picking him up, and carrying him over towards Evelyn.

"Ma, I'm gonna take Jackie out to the car. You gonna be alright?"

Evelyn nodded. "Of course. Just give me the tag to his stuffed animal to ring up."


	4. Chapter Four

Ok, two very quick notes. One: this is as far as I have gotten in this story as of right now. So don't expect another one for a while. Two: this chapter does deal with sexual abuse, nothing too terribly graphic, but it's obvious just the same. If that bothers you, please leave. Yee have been warned! :D

* * *

Bobby settled into his own seat as soon as Jack had buckled himself in, still clutching his toy.

"Jackie… This is important, ok, Elf?" Jack nodded, not looking up at Bobby. "Was that man one of your ma's boyfriends?"

Jack looked at him in confusion.

Bobby thought for a moment, before trying again. "Did he ever stay with you and your ma?"

Jack's small hands curled up into fists as he nodded, shaking slightly.

"Did he ever… did he ever hit you?"

Jack shrugged noncommittally as he began running his hands through the stuffed dog's hair.

"Jackie, come on. You know you can trust me. You can tell me anything. He ever beat you up?"

The elf nodded slowly, staring at the floor, shame filling his face.

"Did he… Did he ever do more than… He ever do more than beat you up? He… He ever… ever touch you?"

Tears began to stream down Jackie's face as he hugged the dog close to him. Bobby never would have expected what happened next.

" 'Little fuckin' bastard,' " Came a thin, frail little voice. " 'Fuckin' play thing. You like bein' fucked up the ass, don't ya? Little fuckin' queer. Ain't no good for nothin' else. Stop your cryin', you little fuckin' pussy. Should be used to it. Take it like a man, little fuckin' bitch.' "

Not much shocked Bobby Mercer. But hearing those words come from Jack's mouth, and knowing full well when they had been said, and during what activity, horrified him to where he couldn't move. But Jack wasn't done yet.

" 'All you're good for. Least ya bring in your mother some money. Ain't no good for nothin' else. I said stop your fuckin' cryin', you little shit head! Little fuckin' bastard. If you weren't such a good little faggot, I'd kill you myself, save your mother the trouble. Maybe I'll cut off your little dick, huh? You wanna cry like a little fuckin' girl, I'll fuckin' make you into a little girl. Or maybe I'll get my cigarettes again. You got such a pretty voice for screamin'.' "

Jack fell silent for a moment, before he finally looked up at Bobby. "Was a good boy. Did what they told me to do. Was a good boy," He whispered.

Bobby threw the door to the car open, opened the back door, and pulled Jackie out, barely taking time to undo his seatbelt. He wrapped his arms around the small boy in a tight hug, which Jack returned, tears still streaming down his face.

"Oh god, Jackie… That won't… Nothin'… Nobody's ever gonna do that again, you hear me?" Bobby said, his own voice rough with unshed tears. He sat down on the curb, his legs unable to hold him anymore.

Jack buried his head into Bobby's shoulder. He muttered something to himself that Bobby couldn't make out at first. But after a minute, he realized what he was saying.

"Was a good boy. Be good boy. Did what they said. Was a good boy. Do what they say. Was a good boy…"

He repeated the mantra over and over again, before Bobby pulled him off of his neck, and stood him up in front of him.

"Jack. Jack look at me," Bobby said softly.

Jack obeyed for a split second, barely catching Bobby's eye before staring down at the concrete again. "Jack, look at me," Bobby said more firmly. "What… what that guy did to you was wrong. You hear me? Fuckin' wrong. If I ever see him again, I'll kill him. Nobody should do that to you. Ever. You hear me? You're a good kid, Jack. You didn't deserve that. Nobody deserves that. You understand? Look at me, Jackie. What that guy did was wrong."

Jack buried his head further into Bobby's shoulder, and lapsed back into silence.

When Evelyn came out, that's how she found them. Bobby sitting on the curb, Jack's face buried into Bobby's chest.

"Bobby?" She asked worriedly.

Bobby shook his head as he stood, and handed her the car keys. He didn't say anything as he climbed into the passenger seat, still holding Jack with a death grip.

It was a silent ride home.

The silence didn't end when they entered the house. Evelyn shot Bobby a questioning look as he started up the stairs with Jack, but her oldest son simply shook his head, and continued upstairs.

He went straight into Jack's room, and sat down on the bed, Jack still clinging onto him for dear life. Bobby started to let his own tears fall, rocking back and forth slowly.

"It's gonna be ok, Jack. Nobody's ever gonna hurt you like that again. We're gonna deal with this. You, ma, me, and Angel and Jerry. We're gonna help you. We're gonna figure this all out."


	5. Chapter Five

A/N: Ok, so here's the next chapter. I hope y'all like it... I actually wrote all of this today, in about an hour... I'm so proud of myself! :D

* * *

Jackie had fallen asleep on the bed after fifteen minutes. Setting him down as gently as possible, Bobby had slowly made his way downstairs, his legs and arms stiff.

"Bobby, what happened?" Evelyn asked as he sat down at the table. She had been waiting for him, and already had coffee ready.

"I… Shit, ma… Fuck…" He swore, staring into the blackness of his coffee cup. There was no way he could explain to his mother what had happened. What had been done to Jackie defied explaining.

There was no explaining it.

But he tried anyways.

Tears were streaming down Evelyn's face long before Bobby finished telling her what had happened. When he was finished, she cleared her throat, and stood up, pouring herself another cup of coffee. "Well… Well… At least now we know," She said hesitantly. She knew it wasn't what needed to be said, but _something_ needed to be said to break the awful silence. "I'll call Nishi tomorrow and tell her about it."

"Ma… He's… He's just a kid, Ma. How could somebody do that to a kid?" Bobby asked, his voice hollow. "I don't get it. I don't understand."

"There is no understanding it, Bobby. There are cruel people in this world, and they take it out on people who can't fight back. People like all you boys. The most we can do is make sure that we stop as much of it as we can."

* * *

Night time. Usually it was always Bobby's favorite time. He always liked to joke that sleeping was his favorite past time. But not that night. That night, it took him until well after three o'clock to get to sleep.

Bobby never had nightmares. He'd always slept like a log. But not that night. That night, he had a nightmare that chilled him to the bone.

* * *

"_Come here, you little brat!"_

"_No, please don't! Please!" There was a scream as belt hit flesh. "No, I be good, I swear! No!" The little boy cried, pulling hard against the belts wrapped around his wrists and ankles as the belt bit into his skin, over and over and over again. "Please stop! Please! I promise, I be good! I no bad anymore! Please! Please!" He screamed._

_It felt like all the skin had been torn off his entire body. Not even his head and face were spared , large cuts dripping blood into his eyes, and dirty-blond hair._

_An older Bobby watched from the corner, unable to move, unable to yell, as the small boy grew stiller and stiller, his little body slowly giving up the struggle._

_But before those large brown eyes closed, they locked onto Bobby._

* * *

"Bobby! Bobby, wake up!"

Bobby lashed out wildly, still screaming, his throat raw, before he saw Evelyn's face.

"M… Ma?" He shocked even himself as he pulled her into a hug, his body still shaking.

"Shhh… It's ok, Bobby. It's ok. You're safe," She said softly.

She looked back at the door. Angel and Jerry stood just inside, their faces showing their alarm. They had never seen Bobby like that before. But Evelyn's face drifted past them to the little blond mess of hair peering around the doorway, blue eyes wide in fear.

"It's ok, boys. Go back to bed," She said quietly, still holding Bobby's shaking form.

Jerry was the first to respond, nudging Angel into movement, and then practically shoving him out the door.

Evelyn waited until they were gone, before she spoke again. "Bobby? Bobby, look at me. We're going to go downstairs, and get some coffee, ok? C'mon. It's ok now."

* * *

Evelyn stared at her oldest son. He hadn't said a word to her the whole time. She leaned across the table, and gently rested her hand on his. There was a few minutes of silence, before she quietly said, "Bobby, I have to ask you something."

Bobby gave no sign that he had heard. But his hands were paper white against his coffee cup that he hadn't taken a drink of.

Evelyn hesitated a moment, before clearing her throat. "Bobby, you've always told me you don't remember anything that happened before you woke up in that hospital room. I've never questioned you, not in all the ten years you've lived with me. I assumed that someday you'd remember, and someday, you'd tell me if you could. What happened tonight? You haven't had a nightmare like that since you first came to me. And you never remembered those, Bobby.

"I know you don't remember much of your first few months here, Bobby. But I don't want you like that again. My heart would break. And you've got that same look now, the same look you had when I first saw you. Bobby, please, say something," She begged. When she got no answer, fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "Bobby, I want to help Jack. That poor child has gone through hell and back, and he deserves a break. But I won't sacrifice you for him. I want to help Jack, but I love you, Bobby. You're my son. Maybe, someday, Jack will also be my son. But until then, Bobby, you come first. It breaks my heart to put it like that, but there's no other way to say it. I couldn't take it if I lost you."

Bobby looked up at her slowly, his eyes still unblinking, and unfocused. She wasn't sure if he had heard anything she said. She ducked her head down, determined to hold the tears back this time, but Bobby spoke.

"I thought it was Jack. But it wasn't. It was me," He said slowly, staring into his cup. "It was me."

Evelyn couldn't stop the tears. "What was you, Bobby?" She asked, her voice strangled sounding. "What happened?"

Woodenly, Bobby began to speak.

"It… There was a man. And he was beating a kid… Beating _me_. With a belt. Over and over, and over again. He just wouldn't stop. The boy –_I_… begged him to stop. Kept begging him to stop, please, he'd… _I'd_ be good. I wouldn't be bad anymore."

"What happened, Bobby? Why was the man beating you?" She managed to ask.

Bobby was silent for a full four minutes, before a dark comprehension came to his face. "I… I'd broke something. A… A lamp, maybe? I was excited about… about getting an 'A' in school. I… I went running in too fast… I couldn't stop fast enough… I tried fixing it before he got home… but I couldn't, there were just… too many damn little pieces. I tried cleaning it all up… Hoped maybe he wouldn't notice it was missing. But he did… He always knew when I'd done something wrong…

"I tried hiding when I heard his car in the driveway. Tried hiding under the bed… But he pulled me out, tied me down… Dragged me down the stairs by my hair, and threw me onto the glass. I… I made it worse… I tried crawling off of it… Just cut me more… The more I struggled, the more he beat me… The more the glass cut me…

"I… I screamed. They'd always told me to never scream. 'Don't ever scream, brat, or it'll be worse', they'd tell me. But I couldn't help it… It… It hurt so damn much…

"The… I think it was the neighbors who heard. Somebody must have called 911. 'Cause next thing I knew, he was shoving me into the crawl space underneath the stairs… I was trying not to make any noise… He said he'd kill me if I did… I could hear him talking out there to the cops… Told 'em I was still at school, or maybe at a friend's house. They asked to search the house, but they didn't find me."

He finally looked up at Evelyn, tears running down his face. "I didn't make a sound, Ma. I stayed quiet.

"Why didn't I say something?" He whispered.

Evelyn moved her chair over to him, and put her arms around his shoulders. "You were a child, Bobby. You did what you had to do to survive. It wasn't your fault."

"I could have screamed. I could have… even if I had just breathed louder, they might have heard me… But I didn't. He… He'd told me I deserved it… If the cops took me away, I'd grow up… grow up to be a bad boy."

"Bobby, look at me," Evelyn said firmly. "You did what you had to do. You didn't deserve it. And it wasn't your fault. You were a child, Bobby. You listened to the man, because you were just trying to survive. You did nothing wrong, Bobby. Nothing."


	6. Chapter Six

The next morning was a Saturday. It was surprisingly –and uncomfortably –quiet. Angel and Jeremiah had snuck out of the house early, slinking out so quietly they shocked themselves.

Evelyn puttered around the house later on, half-heartedly dusting, and rearranging little knickknacks. She hadn't heard a sound in the house since Angel and Jerry had left, and it worried her.

She'd led Bobby back to bed shortly after their conversation. But it was almost eleven o'clock; he still should have been up by now.

Evelyn ignored the slight twinge in her heart as Jackie slowly made his way down the steps. He stared around the railing at her for a moment, his blue eyes wide, as he clutched his new stuffed dog in one arm.

"I… made Bobby sad. Made you mad."

Evelyn dropped the little Precious Moments angel she'd been carrying. It was the first time she'd heard Jack talk, and it surprised her. And the words cut her to the bone.

She slowly walked over to the steps, and kneeled down, looking Jack in the face. "No, Jack, you didn't make me mad. I'm just worried about Bobby, that's all. I'm not mad at you. What's that?" She asked slowly, seeing the grocery bag he held behind him.

He looked up at her with tears in his eyes as he hesitantly held the bag out towards her. "Leavin'," He said softly.

* * *

Bobby was upstairs in his room, silently contemplating.

He'd never remembered anything before he'd woken up in the hospital at age ten. Everything before that in his life was a blank. The doctors had told Evelyn (back when she was just his social worker, not his ma) that it wasn't surprising, seeing the amount of cranial damage he'd taken. He'd been in a coma for three weeks; the doctors weren't sure if he'd pull through.

He'd been found on the side of the road, sometime in the early hours of December 23rd. His chances of survival weren't good. Between the malnutrition, dehydration, hypothermia, broken ribs, broken bones, brain damage, blood loss, and a collapsed lung, he'd had less than a fifty percent chance of survival. But somehow he'd pulled through.

It had been hard for Bobby those first few months in foster care. While other kids at least knew why they were there, why their parents had given them up (or why they'd been taken from their parents), or had at least some fond memories of childhood, Bobby had nothing. His life –as far as he knew –had started at seven thirty PM, January 15th. The night he had regained consciousness. The night he'd first met Evelyn.

The previous night was the first thing Bobby had remembered. He figured he must have been at least four, maybe five, in the dream…. Memory.

He'd spent his whole life looking, hoping for just one memory of his life before January 15th. He'd spent hours combing every record he could find, looking for some mention, even a birth certificate of 'Robert Browning', the name that had been sown into the jacket he'd been found in.

He didn't even know if that was his real name. It could have been someone else's jacket. But as Evelyn had always told him, it was a place to start. More than he had to begin with. Something to work with.

However there were one hundred and twenty two people with Robert as a first name, and Browning as a middle or last name in Detroit alone. Seven hundred in Michigan.

One hundred and forty of them were around his age. Of that number, thirty-four were untraceable, with their locations unknown. Chances were good that he was one of the thirty-four.

But nobody had ever come looking for him.

Bobby had always hoped maybe he had a family somewhere that loved him. He'd always hoped that maybe the scars he bore were the result of some accident. Some screwed up mistake. He'd always hoped that someday, he'd remember something that would prove he had a family that cared about him, and that he'd simply been lost that night of December. He'd always hoped that eventually, in all his searchings, he'd find someone searching for him.

After last night though, he thought it was highly unlikely that his family, or whoever had been his caretaker, was too worried about him.

He slowly forced himself out of bed. He felt ancient, his legs and arms rebelling against being made to move. He argued with himself; he didn't actually have to be up. Just lie in bed today... and tomorrow… Evelyn wouldn't care, she would understand.

_What about Jackie?_ A little voice whispered.

That little voice was the only thing that kept Bobby moving towards his dresser. The only thing motivating him to get dressed, and make his way out his bedroom door.

Because he knew that Jackie would need him. Whether it was today, or tomorrow, the Elf would need him. So Bobby couldn't just curl up and (metaphorically speaking) die in his bed.


	7. Chapter Seven

A/N: Ok, firstly, I'm sorry it's been so long with an update. I know this is a short chapter, but I'm kind of stuck in a rut right now, and I'm having a lot of family/work problems, so I'm really trying here, but it's not going so well. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, or added me to their respective lists. You're the only reason I've made any attempt at writing.

* * *

Bobby was half-way to the stairs when he heard Evelyn yell his name. He bolted towards the stairs, and nearly slammed into Evelyn, who was running towards the front door.

"Bobby, catch him!" She begged, still trying to regain her balance, and get to the door.

Bobby nodded, not needing to hear an explanation, and pushed by her, and out the door.

He could just barely see the Elf's blond hair as the small boy darted around the corner. Bobby sped up, and rounded the same corner about seven seconds later.

"Jack! Jackie, stop!" He yelled, slowly gaining on the Elf.

Jack didn't bother with an answer. He kept on running… running straight towards…

_The highway._

"Jack, stop!" Bobby screamed. "_Jack_!"

He was only a few feet… _a few inches…_

A semi was barreling down the road. Easily doing eighty. No way the driver could stop, even if he seen the small boy, which was highly unlikely.

_So close…_

Bobby reached out…

And his hand connected with the back on Jack's sweatshirt. He yanked back as hard as he could, and was rewarded with Jackie falling on his chest, bowling them both over.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Jack screamed.

Bobby couldn't help it. He sat there in the damp grass, clutching Jackie as hard as he could. Finally, when he'd regained his breath, and pulled his emotions under control, he spoke. "Fuck, Jack, what were you thinking?! You would have died!"

Jack finally stopped struggling, and lay limp in Bobby's tight grip. "Have to go… Have to go…"

"Why do you have to go, Jackie? Why? Just tell me why. I thought you were happy," Bobby pleaded.

Jack was silent for a moment. Then, "Made you sad. Have to leave." His eyes pleaded for Bobby to understand.

"Oh god, Jack, is that what this is about? Jack, you didn't make me sad. _I_ made me sad, ok? You had nothing to do with it. Shit, Jack. You know how scared I was? Jesus…" Bobby slowly stood up, and brushed off his jeans. He grabbed Jack by the shoulders, and looked him in the eye. "If you ever, ever do something like that again, I swear I'll… I'll… hell, I don't even know what I'll do! You have any idea how scared I was?! Jesus, Jackie… Look, I don't care how sad or pissed off you make me, don't you ever do that again, you hear me?"

Jackie looked up at him with his big blue eyes. He hesitated, then threw his arms around Bobby, and clung to him for dear life.

Bobby had to struggle to hear the Elf's words as he made his way back to the house.

_"Please don't make me go."_


End file.
